Who else is still struggling with the voicemail/inventory/packaging/ mailing/cleaning thing?

Are we squeezing in some skincare too?

I have implemented an online appoinment format , and hired a teenager for one day a week errand running...


we will see...


-Multi-taskin' Amy

Hey Amy,

I'm with ya sister! I feel like i live at my salon!
I too am a "one-man-show"! I hired a girl over the summer to come in Tues-Thurs and LOVED IT! Just hated the paying part!hahaha I've come to the conclusion just this week that....I'm going to look for someone for at least 3 to 4 hrs a day(tue-fri). that way she could get to the salon around 2:30 confirm all my appt. for the next day, then retrieve and return all my messages for that day. File my client charts, pull client chart for next day, stock retail, and what ever else needs done! i got spoiled this summer having the girl work for me and being able to just leave pretty much when i was done in the evening!! If your like me....I love/hate being back-to-back and not having any time to return message until the end of the day/night. I dont usually finish until 7 or 7:30 and then to hear i have 23 messages....uugghhh! When the girl was working for me, i loved it, i only had about 5 calls a night to return!! I finally have to realize my time is WORTH her pay!!! I'm going to send out a card to my clients when i hire someone to let them know that i will have someone to be available to/for them tues-fri from 2:30 to 5:30 for anything they may need.
As far as cleaning goes...I trade with a wonderful sweet lady who comes in and cleans every Monday. Shes great!
I remeber Skinguru hired a Virtual Asst. I pm'd her and she was in the stage of entering in all her client info into their software. Maybe that could be an option for you if all you needed was a receptionist. If so give her a call.
Let me know how things are going for you and what you decide, and i'll keep ya posted on my HUNT for receptionist/Personl Assistant !

loveskinspf30

Thanks for sharing the love!
I feel EXACTLY the same!

I look forward to the day when I'm this busy! Gives me hope!

Hey Michelle ~

From all the past posts i've read from you on Spaboard...
Girl...you got it goin' on!!! It's just a matter of time!!!

loveskinspf30

Thanks for those sweet words loveskinspf30. Even though I'm not busy enough to justify an assistant...yet, you've given me a great idea about the cleaning! That is a job I could justify passing along which would free me up to do ordering, paperwork etc. and leave me with a tad more free time.

Even though I'm not with clients back to back all day it is astounding how much time just running the business takes. I love it though!

I know the feeling......but actually, I hope not to be that busy where I need to hire humans to help....I prefer technology, because it does what I want it to do.

I use Quickbooks to manage my account, credit card payments, and inventory - all in one program.

I use a Palm Pilot phone that interfaces with Microsoft Outlook for appointments.

I book clients 2 hrs apart and do my own cleaning.

I tell my clients that I sell retail by mail, and that works for them because they're busy, too - all they need to do is call or email, and it's out lickety-split.

I use Stamps.com with a Dymo printer for postage.....I save shipping stuff from my own orders, and out the door it goes.

Before hiring people, consider if your tasks can be trimmed down by technology first. It eliminates waste and distrustfulness.

(And *keeps* you solo, just like you planned).

Karen

Hey Karen ~

Nope, no me! I must be more needy!!! Technology cant package up and take things to the post office for me,(mail carrier doen't come in! they only go to mail box that is way away from front door!)
It cant open the pkgs that come in with retail products or put them out for sale or up in storage cabinet. Nor can it return calls and reschedule appts for me. For the past two and half years I've run my business off my cell phone #, so I have saved NOT having an enormously huge phone bill just to be classified as a business, so i dont have a land line to run internet svc at the salon so a Virtual Asst. to answer the phone is not an option right now. I really think I will like, and more importantly, my clients will like (and told me they liked having this summer) having a live person there to answer the phone. And it was not Technology that helped me clean up and change the sheets in the treatment room while i checked out the clients or visa versa! I schedule an hour and half in-between client facials, most take 50min to an hour, but sometimes, well....it just goes a little long! So when my next appt. is out in the reception room waiting, as im coming out....it was really nice to have HUMAN help. I know you can have the computer sell products and gift cert., but I guess i'm just "slow" to the coputer age, also, not so sure of how many of my clients are computer saavy! That might be something i start asking and taking a survey on.

I too use QuickBooks, but with QB, you still have to take the time to "input" all your inventory as you receive it, to have it reduce as you sell it. Hince the "human" part of having someone do this!

I'm old fashion when it comes to appts. I STILL USE THE OLE' APPT. BOOk! I'm to scared to go straight computer!!! I have a palm pilot that i used a few yers back, right before i went solo and LOST EVERYTHING!!! Not sure what happened, just know every appt., every name and number....GONE! It was then that i decided, paper aint so bad! I dont mind having a book behing my counter. In fact, it's kinda been nice for my clients to see how busy/blessed I am to make them start booking their appt. for the rest of the year! I love that.

I really think it comes down to the little things, that can be BIG things an assistant can do. From Greeting the clients as they come in to getting the new client intake form ready to the Thank You card ready for me just to make a note on and sign! I feel at this point, I deserve the help. JMHO I did dream of being this busy, just didnt know it would happen as quick as it did.

loveskinspf30

PS - I just re-read your post and unfortunately, booking first appt. at 10 with the last appt at 5:30 (every hour and a half) is not an option right now financially. It's a total blessing right now that i am as busy as i am, and i re-read my post and almost feel guilty about sounding like im complaining....i just get tired sometimes. Once my son finishes college (senior year!!!yea!) and gets a job and pays his own bills ....things will be different...I'm counting on that anyway!!!
We'll see!!!!

Again....Can't wait to see what name you come up with, that's really exciting! Having a chance to start again!!!

I hear ya........

However, running things on the inexpensive note can be much more costly in time.....what happens when the person you hire can't show or has an on the job injury? I've seen this happen to my medical consulting clients way too often. And, in a few years, being outmoded, their payroll went through the roof because they needed more humans instead of paying for tech support on well-maintained technology.

Inefficient systems lead to more inefficiency and reliance on tasks rather than results. Worker smarter, not harder is a good rule of thumb I live by

Having a human assistant is a nice touch, but to be quite honest, although we believe our clients like that personal aspect of it - what they really want is ease of access, efficiency, no errors, and timeliness.

I clean between each client, and build my retail to bring in revenue, not 'booked' clients (I want to work less, not more). At the end of the day, I scan in my treatment sheets while my instruments are sanitizing, and call and confirm the next day's business. If I have stocking to do, or packages to unload, I come in early to do it.

When I go home, all is done and ready for the next day. Oh, and I back up my data every day when I'm done.

And although my business volume is small, I am used to pumping out 100 patients per day in a medical office 4 days/week.....and then trotting off to see a client that night.......so I have to be organized and efficient to make a buck - for me, it requires technology to do that.

Is it perfect? NO - but close. It makes for a longer day, but keeps me in control and solo. "Been there, done that" on the hiring thing and never want to go back to it......so, I use technology instead.

Karen